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Flour Type 65 in the UK

Flour Type 65 in the UK

Hi guys,

I'm trying to make a traditional portuguese bread recipe and I need Flour Type 65.

I'm currently living in the UK and the flour packages don't mention the flour type. Can someone point me in the right direction on what mainstream (found in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, etc.) flours are Type 65?

Here in the UK, manufacturers and retailers do not use the system of measuring the ash content of the flour. In the example you are using here the 65 means a residual of 0.65% of a sample of that flour remains after a standard incineration test.

So it is a measure of the mineral content of the flour. More commonly in the UK we refer to a % of extraction, for example wholewheat flour would be 100%, and white flour might be around 72% extraction. So it a measure of how much of the original grain remains once it has been milled to flour.

In the most simple terms, you would look to buy a flour labelled as "Strong White", or as "White Bread Flour"

Have you come across Carrs Breadmaker Flour? It's available in Sainsburys. That would be my choice. Unless you can find Strong White flour by W. H. Marriage & Sons. I use their Organic Strong White as my everyday white bread flour. Both these flour have protein around 11.7%, and good quality gluten potential is guaranteed.

I'm near Alnwick, in Northumberland. I asked if you were in Northern Ireland as that is where the flour is produced which you made reference to.

You should be able to find lots of good flour in London. Marriage's are based in Essex. Shipton Mill in Glos. have a good website and excellent mail order service. You can buy Bacheldre flour through Amazon. Both are great artisan flour millers

many many thanks for your support. I will try to bake some traditional portuguese bread with Carrs Breadmaker Flour this weekend and let you know how it goes. Again, you're all awesome! Thank you so much for your guidance!

I am very enthusiastic about the Carrs flour. I've tried quite a few different flours while making white bread. A recent stoneground purchase was disastrous! When I was looking for a good flour I could buy locally, I contacted Carrs about additives but the flour only has the legally required ones. I know it's a roller mill but it's very reliable/

I haven't the space to store much flour but I'm told Shipton Mill no. 4 is a good one if you want to try mail order.

I'm baking so much now that I have started buying in bulk from Bacheldre Mill. You can get their strong organic white for as little as £0.87/kg if you buy in bulk. They also have a large range of different flours.

I'm only using making white breads at the moment because they are giving me enough to think about, but I am very happy with the results from their flour so far.

I have seen their flours in Waitrose, although at a premium price in smaller quantities.

As to buying in bulk... I seem to have a bread baking problem at the moment - I may need therapy. We need 2 loaves a week, but I seem to have accidentally baked 7. The neighbours are doing well though!!

MIght have been because of the (big!) difference in climate between Portugal and UK. Humidity, temperature and altitude all play a role. As I've moved around, I've found I have to experiment with the amount of water, flour, sugar and yeast I add in order to adjust for those things.

I'm a bit late on this post, but heartily concur, Carr's is my cupboard staple, shame it is roller milled, but we can't always win.

As for extraction rate on packets, you will not find one. By law, brown is 80-85%, WM is just that, 100% of the wheat berry with nothing removed (but bear in mind, processed WM has been separated into its component parts and has most of the parts reblended to WM status) and white, is, erm, white, about 72% endosperm matter.

I think, someone correct me, some processed WM flours are degerminated, so they remian stable in the cupboard longer. Avoid these, wheatgerm contributes most, if not the bran, to thef lavour of wheat flour.

I disagree, supermarket flours (except Sainsbury, ironically made my Carr's) are a waste of money. Only Sainsbury's stroneground WM flour is excellent value for money, the taste of the WM really comes through.

As for Shipton Mill, their flour is very, very good. If only I coud affrod to have my flour delivered monthly.

I love the wonky looking loaf, we all have them. In fact, they can be my favourite!

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